December 11, 2011

30 days of gratitude : twenty nine & thirty

30 days of gratitude :: Day 29 & 30 :: light & self portrait ... OK, so I'm cheating a tiny little bit on the challenge here. I don't feel bad since most everyone bailed on me, but I have to say that some of the subjects on this one kind of sucked. Why do I want to photograph "nightmare" for a gratitude challenge? You know? So, anyhoo... I decided to combine the last two items into today's photo and wrap this challenge up! I got my hair done today (was way overdue for a cut & color) and came straight home to take selfies for my first every holiday photo card. I figure why not, right? So I'm single. Why can't I send a photo of myself to my friends and family? I have stayed away from this in years past, but people seem to enjoy my self portraits so what the heck ... I did it. And I had to expedite shipping since I realized today that Christmas is only two weeks away! OMG!

December 10, 2011

10 on 10 :: 27 of 30 :: hello sloane

Oh what a day! It's 10 on 10 challenge day { on the weekend, yeah! } and day 27 of my 30 days of gratitude challenge and the first time I get to see my bf/sister's new baby girl!! So let's jump right into the fun!!

day 27 of 30 :: daily routine :: I start every day with a cup of tea. I love the little leaf stem on the forte triangular tea bags!

Then I hit the new market at the Evanston Ecology center - was hoping for a couple of vendors to be there, but sadly they were not ... maybe next week. We saw some good stuff tho!

Then it was time to hit the road ... it was a beautiful day, the sun was shining bright ... if only it wasn't so cold!

I arrived in Chesterton just a couple of hours after momma and baby came home from the hospital. Little Sloane was all snug as a bug... she is super cute and so stinkin' tiny she doesn't even fit into premie clothes! Look at her tiny little bracelet!

I spent a little time snuggling with her before we decided to start the photoshoot. I gotta give huge props to baby photographers!!! I do not have any idea how the pose these little munchkins. They just don't cooperate. I'm thinking maybe she was a little too young at only five days old, but I did get a couple of cuties! Holly purchased this crazy long santa hat off etsy and she wanted to try to recreate the shot from the website - impossible!!

After Sloane was done with her first photoshoot, Holly's friend Nikki came over to bring them dinner { so nice } and hung around for a little bit. Her adorable little boy was so excited to hold the baby.

Meanwhile, Bella was busy taking photos with her camera. I caught her snapping a self portrait and asked her to show me. She's such a ham...

I hung around till it was about dinner time for the Pittman clan ... snapped a few photos of Jeff with his little girl before I left. He is one proud papa! Oh and I caught the BEST baby yawn! Oh how I love a baby yawn!!!

Oh and I had to snap a photo of Xavier's sign. He made this adorable little sign to hang on the hospital room door - they said the nurses were gaga over it. Apparently this was a first.

Couldn't officially leave till I got one more snap of Sloane and her big sister Bella B! We were cracking up because it looks like Sloan is throwing the peace sign...

Back on the road home...

What a great day! And then I arrived home to this adorable Christmas Card from my friend Kathryn. Happy Everything!!!

November 26, 2011

30 days of gratitude : thirteen

30 days of gratitude :: Day 13 :: written words ... Unlucky thirteen that is! These words are for my grandmother's recipe for a parker house type of roll she's made my entire life - heck probably hers too! She used to bake a pan full and overnight them to me - oh how I loved receiving that package!! All of my friends and coworkers know about grandma's rolls and give me a hard time because no matter how I try I simply CANNOT make them! I suck, suck, suck at making any type of yeast based anything and it frustrates me to no end!!

I babied this batch, but nooooo. Still no luck. Jeff actually described them as 'flatbread' when talking with his mother. WHY OH WHY can I not figure these damn things out? The photo below is my pitiful attempt. I am seriously about to toss in the towel.

November 24, 2011

30 days of gratitude : eleven

30 days of gratitude :: Day 11 :: something old ... That's my BF Holly and her beau, Jeff. Why am I posting these two as something old? Well, because my friend Holly and I met in kindergarden and have remained friends ever since. We certainly had our ups and downs and crazy shenanigans, but, like sisters, we forgive and forget and remain BF's! She and her hubby hosted me for a Thanksgiving feast! I am so thankful to have such wonderful, old friendships.

November 18, 2011

30 days of gratitude : five

30 days of gratitude :: Day 5 :: Morning Sky ... Got up a little early to be able to pop over to the beach for a little sunrise splendor and failed to get out of the house early enough for actual sunrise, oh well. Only an hour later and this was the beautiful scene ... I'll take it! I so underutilize the fact that live within blocks of this beautiful shoreline... I say that every time I go, but even when the wind is blowing like crazy and it's bitter cold, it's so peaceful and serene.

Today is the day that I am eligible for an iPhone upgrade and I am so on the fence about it. The 4 has served me well and I hear the 5 is just around the corner. AND I've been told I will loose those sunbursts when shooting directly into the sun, and I love those soooooo much! What to do??

November 17, 2011

30 days of gratitude : four

30 days of gratitude :: Day 4 :: Leaves ... Sadly the leaves are almost all gone from the trees and the weather has turned downright bitter! I nearly froze my fingers off on a 15 min walk to snap these photos. A whopping 30 degrees... at least the sun was cheery and bright! I snapped the above shot of the beautiful red leaves blowing in the brisk breeze and had to take the new cam out for a few snaps too.... Isn't Fall the most beautiful and picturesque season?